Cash-register



L. E.. ALLEN.

CASH REGISTER.

(No Model.)

No. 537,173. Patented Apr. 9, 1895.

uz Nonms mins co4 morounq UNITED STATES PATENT EEICE.

LUTHER E. ALLEN, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

CASH-REGISTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 537,173, dated April 9, 1895.

Application led June 7,1894. Serial No. 513,725- (NO mdel.)

To a/ZZ whom t may concern;

Be it knownthat I, LUTHER E. ALLEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Detroit, in the county of WVayne and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and usefullmprovements in Cash-Registers, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

The invention consists in the peculiar construction of the registering mechanism, comprising chutes, spheres adapted to run in said chutes, a receptacle for the spheres at the top and a gate controlling the discharge of the spheres from the receptacle into the chutes, the chutes being graduated to indicate the number or value of the sphere which passes through the gates.

The invention further consists in the peculiar construction, arrangement and combinav tion of the various parts, all as more fully hereinafter described.

In the drawings, Figure l is a top, plan view of my device showing the case partly broken away. Fig. 2 is a cross section thereof through the gates. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section thereof through one of the gates. Fig. et is a similar section of one of the gates showing the parts in different position fr om Fig. 3.

In the prior state of the art, registering machines as a rule have been quite complicated in their mechanism, and exceedingly expensive to manufacture, and it is my object to construct a simple device which may be used for ordinary registering purposes, which will be accurate in its operation and registration and which can be put upon the market at an inconsiderable price.

A is a plate or board raised at one end by the leg C so as to present an upper inclined surface and in this upper inclined surface are one or more grooves or chutes B which lead directly or straight down from a point near the top to a point near the lower end of the board. These chutes at the top may connect into a common receptacle D, or they may be long enough to form a receptacle for each.

E is a series of spheres, such as shot or marbles in a receptacle adapted to enter the upper end of the chutes and which will roll to the bottom thereof if it were not for intox posed gates arranged in the chutes.

F is a series of keys pivoted at stated distances apart on the under side of the crossbar G which is supported at its ends by the standards H. I are springs sleeved about these standards and bearing with their upper ends against the under side of the cross bar G, and J are adjusting nuts engaging the upper screw-threaded portion of the standards for adj Listing the crossbar G vertically.

K is a guide bar secured on top of the plate A and extending over the top of the chutes or grooves B. This block is provided with a series of vertical apertures in which the gates a b are adapted to engage, one pair of these gates in each aperture. These gates have at' their lower ends a cut-off c and an inclined or curved face (Z and at their upper ends they are connected by means of the connecting arm c with a pivot pin on a common lever on opposite sides of its pivotal point 7c.

L is a cover for the chutes, preferably of glass. Beside the chute is a mark or gage M to indicate the number or value of the spheres which pass. The upper end of the key lever moves between guide pins N and is drawn down by means of the spiral spring O, which normally holds the forward end up as shown in Fig. 3.

The operation of the device is as follows: The parts being as shown in Fig. 3, the operator depresses one or more of the key levers by striking with his finger which will move downward the gate l) and move upward the gate a allowing one of the spheres in the chute to move past the upper gate and against the lower gate, as shown in Fig. 4. New as soon as he releases his finger, the spring O will return the key to its normal position, shown in Fig. 3, which will release the sphere or ball by the movement of the gates and permit it to roll to the lower end of the chute, registering one, or a marble of any desired number according to the.valve of the chute into which it runs. Vhen'it is desired to return the chute or ball into the receptacle I turn the nuts J when the springs I will lift the cross-bar and with it the gates ont of the chutes so that by inverting the device, the

IOO

balls willrun into the receptacle. New screwing down the nuts the device is ready for operation.

That I claim as my invention is- I. The combination With a receptacle, of a series ot direct inclined chutes leading therefrom and having permanently closed lower ends and open upper ends constituting the inlet and exit therefor, a plurality of gates for each chute, one of which is normally in the same, means for removing both of the gates from the chutes, and spheres in the receptacle adapted to move into the chutes, sub-- stantially as described.

2. The combination of the inclined plate the grooves in the upper face thereof, the receptacle at the top ot'the chutes, the spheres in the receptacle adapted to enter the chutes, a gate for each chute, a key for operating each gate, and means for raising the gates to permit the return of the spheres, substantially as described. Q

3. The combination with an inclinedbase,k havinga series of direct chutes therein formed l with a combined inlet and outlet opening` attI their upper ends only, a series of spheres; adapted to move in the chutes, gates forcon-I trolling` the movement of the spheres in opposite directions, and means permitting the removal of the gates to allow the spheres to be moved back through the chutes comprising a spring-pressed bar, and means for compressing the spring, substantially as described.

it. The combination of a grooved base plate, the spheres in the grooves, the guide bar K having vertical grooves therein, of the gates a b. working in the grooves having the curved arms e extending in opposite directions and pivotally engaging with a key on opposite sides of its fulcrum, and the key for operating said gates, substantially as described.

5. The combination of the inclined groove plate, the spheres therein, the gates ct b, the key for operating said gates as set forth, the standards H, the cross-bar G upon which said keys are secured, the springs I under the crossbar and the nuts .I above the cross-bar, substantiallyas and for the purpose described.

6. In a register, the combination with a base, of a series ot' inclined chutes therein,gates for each chute, keys for operating the gates, means `common to all the gates for raising the same from the cl1utcs,and spheres in the chutes, substantially as described.

In testimony .whereof I ailix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

LUTHER E. ALLEN.

lVtnesses:

JAMES Wnrrirmuonn, M. B. ODoonumu. 

